Escapement mechanism



June 13, 1939. MCCOLLUM 2,162,352

ESGAPEMENT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS June 13, 1939.

A. O. M COLLUM ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fl/VDRE 14 0. MC COLL UM A TTORNEYS Patented June. 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 27, 1937, Serial No. 165,795

8 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanisms for driving multiple controllers and the like, and is illustrated as embodied in a multiple timer switch for an automatic washing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide such mechanism requiring a minimum amount of power for operation, which will be reliable and durable in use, and which preferably is so arranged that it can readily be advanced independently of the driving mechanism, when it is desired to shorten the cycle. The illustrated switch is of the intermittently driven type, and various features of novelty relate to the escapement mechanismthrough which it is driven.

The illustrated escapement includes a pinion meshing with the driven gear which operates the switch or its equivalent, and which is moved bodily back and forth about the periphery of the driven gear, rolling freely on the driven gear when moved in one direction and acting as a pawl to turn the driven gear when moved in the other direction. The pinion also serves as a one-way connection permitting the switch to be advanced manually independently of the driving mechanism.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel arrangements and desirable particular constructions, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the novel timer switch, partly broken away in section on the line l-l of Figure 2;

Figure 2. is a section there-through on the line 2--2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective showing the parts of the escapement mechanism only.

The control device illustrated is a multiple timer switch for an automatic washing machine of the type illustrated in application No. 129,429, filed March 6, 1937, by John W. Chamberlin" and Rex Earl Bassett, Jr. In some respects it may be regarded as an improvement on the mechanism described and claimed in application No. 139,978 filed April 30, 1937, by myself jointly with Ray W. Scott.

The illustrative embodiment comprises a shaft ill carrying a bank of control devices such as cams l2 operating yielding contacts l4 forming the movable elements of a multiple switch. The contacts H are mounted on a bracket ii of insulating material, on one end of which is mounted a plate I8 serving as an outboard bearing for the shaft I0, and on the other end of which is mounted a plate l8 supporting the motor and escapement mechanism described below.

The present invention has to do with driving the shaft ID or its equivalent, preferably intermittently so that the shaft turns rapidly enough to secure a quick break of the contacts when it is turning, in lieu of the extremely slow motion necessary if the shaft is to be driven continuously through a relatively long cycle (e. g. 45 minutes to an hour) on each revolution.

A suitable constant speed motor 20, acting through a reducing gear 22, (ii any equivalent clock mechanism, is mounted on the end plate l8, and drives a pinion 24 (Figure 2). The pinion 24 meshes with and drives continuously a relatively large gear 26, to which is rigidly riveted or otherwise secured a relatively wide pinion 28, and which is journaled on a shaft 30. One end of the shaft 30 is supported by the end plate l8, and the other end is supported in a socket in a bushing 32 carried by a bracket 34 riveted to the end plate I 8. M"

The shaft 30 also supports an, oscillatable three-arm carrier 36 formed as shown in Figure 3. This carrier supports a shaft 38 on which is journaled a large gear 40 meshing with and continuously driven by the pinion 28. Since the carrier 36 oscillates about the axis of the pinion 28, its movements do not interfere with the continuous driving of the gear by the pinion.

A pin 42, or equivalent means, rigidly attaches to one face of the gear 40 to turn therewith, a ratchet-shaped edge cam 44 having a series of gradual rises alternating with sharp drops. This cam rides against a follower or stop 46 secured to the end plate i8, and is held yieldingly against the follower by means such as a spring 48 attached at its ends to the carrier 36 and to the end plate l8.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 38, on the other side of the gear 40 from the cam 45, is a wide pinion 50 of relatively small diameter, meshing with a relatively large driven gear 52 having a hub 54 secured to the end of the shaft Ill and rotatably journaled upon the bushing 32. The gear 40 is provided with a pawl 56 engaging the teeth of the pinion 50 and held against the pinion by a spring 58 in the form of a generally circular contracting wire bearing on the pawl 56 at one end and having its other end turned. laterally and projecting into an opening through the gear 40.

It will be seen that the pinion 50 can turn freely in one direction; but is held against movement relatively to the gear 40 in the other direction. One of its functions, taking advantage of this, is as a one-way connection between the driving mechanism and the shaft Ill, permitting the shaft to be turned forward manually independently of the drive mechanism when desired, to speed up portions of the cycle. To this end the shaft III is provided with a handle or grip 60, by which the operator can readily turn it forward when desired.

In operation, the clock or motor mechanism drives the gear 40 continuously forward during the cycle of the machine. I he rising portions of the cam 44 successively wedge themselves against the follower l8 and oscillate the carrier 36 away from the follower 46, while at each drop of the cam the spring 48 pulls the carrier 36 back again.

The relation of the teeth of the gear 52 and of the pinion 50, and the slope of the successive rising portions of the cam 44, are such that during the gradual wedging of the carrier away from the follower 46 the pinion 50 merely rolls on the periphery of the gear 52. On the more rapid return strokes the pinion 50 is prevented by the pawl 56 from turning backward, and in effect acts as a pawl on the gear 52 to turn that gear (and of course with it the shaft l0 and cams l2).

While one illustrative embodiment has been described in. detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An escapement mechanism for a timer or the like comprising a driven gear, a carrier pivotally mounted for movement about a center adjacent the gear, rotatable gear means having a cam device rigid therewith and mounted on said carrier and drivably meshing with said driven gear, a stationary follower, yielding means holding said cam device against said follower and which causes oscillation of the carrier slowly in one direction and rapidly in the other direction when the gear means is rotated, and means for driving the gear means, the gear means being constructed and arranged to roll on the driven gear without turning it when the carrier is oscillated slowly in said one direction and being provided with means holding it against rolling on the driven gear thereby to serve as a ratchet to turn the driven gear when the carrier is oscillated rapidly in said other direction.

2. An escapement mechanism for a timer or the like comprising a driven gear, a carrier pivotally mounted for movement about a center adjacent the, gear, rotatable gear means having a cam device rigid therewith and mounted on said carrier and drivably. meshing with said driven gear, a stationary follower, yielding means holding said cam device against said follower and which causes oscillation of the carrier slowly in one direction and rapidly in the other direction when the gear means is rotated, and means for driving the gear means, the gear means being constructed and arranged to roll on the driven gear without turning it when the carrier is oscillated in one direction and being provided with means holding it against rolling on the driven gear thereby to serve as a ratchet to turn the driven gear when the carrier is oscillated in the other direction.

ii. Escapement mechanism comprising a driven gear, an oscillatable carrier, a second gear rotatably mounted on the carrier and having a cam device rotatable therewith, a pinion mounted on the carrier and meshing with said driven gear, pawl means connecting the second gear and the pinion and holding the pinion against turning relatively to the second gear'in one direction and permitting it to turn relatively to the second gear in the other direction, means for driving said second gear, a follower engaged by said cam device, and means yieldingly holding the cam device against the follower, said escapement mechanism being so constructed and arranged that as said second gear is driven the carrier is rocked in one direction by the wedging of the cam deviceagainst the follower and is then rocked in the other direction by said yielding means.

4. Escapement mechanism comprising a driven gear, a movable carrier, a second gear rotatably mounted on the carrier and having a cam device rotatable therewith, a pinion mounted on the carrier and meshing with said driven gear, pawl means connecting the second gear and the pinion and holding the pinion against turning relatively to the second gear in one direction and permitting it to turn relatively to the second gear in the other direction, means for driving said second gear, a follower engaged by said cam device, and means yieldingly holding the cam device against the follower, said escapement mechanism being so constructed and arranged that as said second gear is driven the carrier is moved in one direction by the wedging of the cam device against the follower and is then moved in the other direction by said yielding means.

5. Mechanism of the class described comprising a control device having a shaft by which it is driven, a driven gear on said shaft, means for driving said gear including a pinion meshing therewith which can turn in one direction and which is held against turning in the other direction and means for bodily moving said pinion about the periphery of the driven gear and rolling upon said driven gear when moving in the direction in which it is free to turn and acting to turn the driven gear when moving in the other direction, a stop limiting the bodily movement of the pinion when it is turning the driven gear, a spring urging the pinion toward said stop to turn the' driven gear, and means for tensioning said springvand causing separation of the pinion and stop, said pinion periodically being released to be moved by the springback to a position determined by said stop, thereby to turn said driven gear intermittently.

6. Mechanism of the class described comprising a control device having a shaft by which it is driven, a driven gear on said shaft, means for driving. said gear including a pinion meshing therewith which can turn in one direction and which is held against turning in the other direction and means for bodily moving said pinion about the periphery of the driven gear and rolling upon said driven gear when moving in the direction in which it is free to turn and acting to turn the driven gear when moving in the other direction, a stop limiting the bodily movement of the pinion when it is turning the driven gear, a spring urging the pinion toward said stop to turn the driven gear, and means for tensioning said spring and causing separation of the pinion and stop, said pinion periodically being released to be moved by the spring back to a position determined by said stop, thereby to turn said driven gear intermittently.

7. Mechanism of the class described comprising a control device having a shaft by which it is driven, a driven gear on said shaft, and means for driving said gear including a pinion meshing therewith which can turn in one direction and which is held against turning in the other direction and means for bodily moving said pinion about the periphery of the driven gear and rolling upon said driven gear when moving in the direction in which it is free to turn and acting to turn the driven gear when moving in the other direction, said driving means including an oscillatable carrier on which said pinion is mounted, a driving gear mounted on the carrier and connected to the pinion by a one-way connection,

means for driving the driving gear, and means for oscillating the carrier.

8. Mechanism of the class described comprising a control device having a shaft by which it is driven, a driven gear on said shaft, and means for driving said gear including a pinion meshing therewith which can turn in one direction and which is held against turning in the other direction and means for bodily moving said pinion about the periphery of the driven gear and rolling upon said driven gear when moving in the direction in which it is free to turn and acting to turn the driven gear when moving in the other direction, said driving means including an oscillatable carrieron which said pinion is mounted, a driving gear mounted on the carrier and connected to the pinion by a one-way connection, a cam device rigid with the driving gear, a follower engaged by the cam device and against which the cam device wedges to oscillate the carrier in one direction, yielding means holding the cam device against the follower and which oscillates the carrier in the other direction, and gearing driving the driving gear. 

